In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. Isaiah 6:1-2
In 2011, I was blessed to visit England. For part of my visit, I stayed with my friend, Esther (de Waal) Moir, in her family cottage on the Welsh border near Hereford. Esther is a prolific author, especially on Benedictine and Celtic Spirituality. I had received spiritual direction from her when I lived in Washington, DC and we’d stayed in touch.
One evening, we were eating plums from her plum tree and looking out the kitchen window. She told me the plum tree that produced our delicious dessert was right in the way where the Seraphim played. She was thinking of taking the tree down, so the Seraphim would have more room to play.
Now I didn’t see the Seraphim, but I knew what she was talking about from this passage in Isaiah. They are odd creatures aren’t they, with 6 wings? AND they attend the Lord God. Every time I hear about Seraphim, I think of them playing in Esther’s beautiful English countryside.
Further we hear Isaiah tell us that the Seraphim brought a live coal and touched his lips and tongue, cleansing him and preparing him for God’s work, which was that of a prophet. It takes great courage to be a prophet, because most often, people really don’t want to hear what you have to say. But, being cleansed, he was ready and told God to send him to do this challenging work.
The Holy Spirit continues working and moving. May you be cleansed by the coal of God brought by the Seraphim, so you can respond, “Here I am. Send me.”
Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
05-31-2015 Trinity Sunday Bulletin
News & Notes
Schedule: Rebecca will be at St. John’s Monday and St. Agnes’ House Tuesday through Thursday. Her Sabbath will be Friday. You may leave a message for Rebecca by calling the church office at 606-528-1659 or at priest-in-charge@stjohnscorbin.org.
Pot Luck and Celebration of Ministry, Sunday after church. The monthly pot luck is this Sunday. Bring your favorite dish to share.
Adult Forum: This Sunday we continue a summer series on the Gospel of Mark.
Al-Anon Family Group: An Al-Anon Family Group will meet in St. John’s Parish Hall on Tuesdays from 7-8pm.
Testament of a Naked Man: A contemporary dramatization of the Gospel of Mark will be presented by The Rev. Dr. Angus Stuart on Monday, June 1, 6:00-8:00pm, in the St. John’s Church Sanctuary. Plan now to attend and invite your friends to this powerful performance.
Gather at 6pm on Wednesday evenings for a service and fellowship.
The Good Goodbye: The Rev. Rebecca Myers’ last Sunday will be June 7. Dr. Kay Collier McLaughlin will be present on behalf of the diocesan leadership to lead us in a Litany of Leave-taking.
Celebration of the Ministry of Dr. Kay Collier McLaughlin, June 21, 3:00pm, Christ Church Cathedral, Lexington. Join in this celebration of Kay’s ministry in the Diocese of Lexington.
2015 Goals: The Vestry has adopted the following goals for 2015, in line with our recently adopted Mission Statement; Proclaiming the Gospel, promoting justice, and preparing a diverse community of seekers to reflect the welcoming love of Christ:
- Support Al-Anon group meeting at the Church.
- List St. John’s Church on theIntegrity and Believe Out Loud websites as an open and welcoming church, especially for people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning.
- Remodel space for use as a sacristy.
- Repurpose the parlor.
- Serve as a site for the KCEOC Summer Lunch program for youth ages 18 and under.
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